‘The crew discharged the fire extinguisher which is as per the standard operating procedures prescribed by the aircraft manufacturer, and quickly transferred the Samsung Note 2 into a container filled with water in lavatory’.
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An advisory would be issued to all airlines, asking them to tell passengers to either avoid or carry in the switched off mode all Samsung Note smartphones, the official said.
Samsung said it is looking into the matter and is in touch with relevant authorities to gather more information.
The latest Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone is presently known to be causing fires across the world citing an issue with faulty batteries. Authorities in several countries have banned their use in aircraft.
This is the first incident of the Samsung device catching fire on-board in India. United States airlines have issued similar warnings about the Galaxy Note 7. It would seem that an IndiGo flight from Chennai to Singapore experienced a bit of an alarm when smoke started to pour out of a baggage bin mid-flight, only to realize that a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 handset was the culprit.
The smartphone will be further examined by the departments concerned.
“Both passenger and airline must take due responsibility as it may result in security scare in air”, said Gurcharan Bhatura, an aviation expert and director general of Foundation for Aviation and Sustainable Tourism.
The problems with the Note 7 knocked billions of dollars off the market value of Samsung Electronics, which had tried to pre-empt rival Apple Inc by launching the nearly US$900 ($1,180) Note 7 on August 19, about a month ahead of the latest iPhone release. The Ministry has advised airlines and travelling public not to turn on or charge the said mobile during flights. The company also stated that 90% percent of Galaxy Note 7 owners have opted to receive a new device, rather than returning the recalled device for a refund. However, after it discovered that some of the Note 7’s batteries burst into flames when charged, it offered to swap devices in an early September voluntary recall.
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“We advise flyers to exercise caution while flying with Samsung Note Devices”.
